Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - What is the Best Fixed Gear for Diverse Uses? (a Surly-inspired question)

I have two questions:

1. Where have you ridden you fixed gear(s)? Offroad, on-road, somewhere else? How did she fair? Which bike can take the toughest spills? Which fixie do you think is best for putting the bike to the most diverse uses?

2. How much does the Surly Steamroller complete weigh? And does weight really matter, given that it is supposedly designed to be amongst the best for diverse uses? What does it have that a lighter bike does not?


Note: just ignore the first 10 posts. Most do not answer these questions because they were not written in response to these exact questions.

Just a thought but...
Maybe go out and ride your bike and enjoy it?

I agree ^

Just a thought but...
Maybe go out and ride your bike and enjoy it?

+1
i have a steamroller too and i love mine...i have ridden it all over the dang place
more riding less discussing

I'm happy with my Steamroller. I found a used brown frameset on Ebay a few years ago, stripped all the decals off, and built it up with primo components. It's heavy. I've done a few ultra long distance rides with it. I've got other fixed gear and single speed bikes which are noticeably lighter than my Steamroller but the Steamroller is my favorite. If it's good enough for me, it's good enough for you. Enjoy your new ride. :)

To answer the thread title: any, just ride. My IRO Rob Roy seems to be fine on mostly any surface barring a beach so far.

Your other question in the post with what appear to be reference points and footnotes was a pretty complicated way of asking if the Steamroller is heavier than average or not. I'd think a complete build would depend on componentry chosen when comparing weights. You already have the bike, does it really matter?

the thing about implicit philosophies are that they are oft misinterpreted.

i would rather have a cross check. the steamroller is great but it's not any more impressive than another 650-800 bike.

instead of your confusing double numbering system that fails to distinguish statements of reasoning from questions, why don't you think of some better questions to ask, like "what's the biggest hit your steamroller's ever taken?" or "what kind of terrain do you ride on with your steamroller?"

Just a thought but...
Maybe go out and ride your bike and enjoy it?

I thought this was a DISCUSSION board.

the thing about implicit philosophies are that they are oft misinterpreted.

i would rather have a cross check. the steamroller is great but it's not any more impressive than another 650-800 bike.

instead of your confusing double numbering system that fails to distinguish statements of reasoning from questions, why don't you think of some better questions to ask, like "what's the biggest hit your steamroller's ever taken?" or "what kind of terrain do you ride on with your steamroller?"

OK. If you prefer these questions (it doesn't really matter to me), the answers to them would be just as enlightening.

less discussion more riding.

i don't really get into discussing difference in weight in grams...blech

[QUOTE=jpdesjar;7022293]i don't really get into discussing difference in weight in grams...blech[/QU

OK. In whatever scale you wish.

Just to clarify. I wanted this to be a discussion about your experiences with the diversity of fixed gears and which you have found good or bad, and a sideline about weight. Apparently the opening questions sound too doctrinaire for the tastes of the readers of these blogs. I think I'll edit.

very diverse in that-
i can commute on it
i can practice tricks on it
i can go on long rides
i can put larger tires on it for messy weather
i can clip fenders on it
mine weighs 20 pounds or so with a brooks b17

for my 1st fixed gear experience i am diggin it

It is my determination that the original poster should perhaps ruminate on the necessity for multisyllabic words and excessive verbosity and choose to, in the future, phrase his questions more plainly.

this thread is so un-surly

What kind of fenders? I thought the Steamroller wouldn't take fenders.

I think you had legitimate questions, which shouldn't have been attacked by others. This is a really unfriendly forum.

Flimflam: To answer the thread title: any, just ride. My IRO Rob Roy seems to be fine on mostly any surface barring a beach so far.

Your other question in the post with what appear to be reference points and footnotes was a pretty complicated way of asking if the Steamroller is heavier than average or not. I'd think a complete build would depend on componentry chosen when comparing weights.



Noema: Has the narrow tire clearance on the fork of the IRO held you back?

What kind of fenders? I thought the Steamroller wouldn't take fenders.

The clip-on variety that don't work well. I'm not entirely sure what a Steamroller offers that a decent 80's steel road frame to convert doesn't offer. My first fixed gear was a medium/low end 80's Trek that now serves as a fixed gear cyclocross bike in the summer and a rain bike in the winter. I haven't been able to break it yet, and I've done some stupid **** on it. I got the frame for $15. Surly makes cool bikes, but the Steamroller has a few details, like the lack of eyelets for fenders and lack of rack mounts, don't make sense to me. By including these two very simple, nearly invisible features, they could have made the bike much, much more practical and useful, which has always seemed to me to be what Surly is all about. Most mid-range 80's steel frames have these features, are very comfortable and ride just as well as a Surly, IMO.

Noema: Has the narrow tire clearance on the fork of the IRO held you back?

What narrow tyre clearance? I've the stock fork from IRO and no issues, according to the specs I can run upto 35s with fenders on (perhaps 32s, either way). I've not had a problem at all. No overlap, it's a pretty comfortable/long wheelbase and there's a metric assload of clearance in the front, I run 23s with lots of spare room with or without fenders (Planet Bike Cascadia btw).

My frame is the Rob Roy, which I got because it's suited to SS/FG, and it has all the practical junk on it I wanted (bosses for two cages, fender mounts, rack mounts, brake mounts) I use a cantilever brake instead of a road caliper which works amazingly well.

you can attach full fenders with p-clips. See the fender thread. There are several steamrollers in there, and i have done this on mine. Also, planet bike makes clip on full fenders. I also attached a rack and hauled 20 lbs 35 miles. But i don't know how much i would recommend that.

also my complete weighs about 20 - 21 lbs or about the same as my 78 Raleigh competition.

I have two questions:

1. Where have you ridden you fixed gear(s)? Offroad, on-road, somewhere else? How did she fair? Which bike can take the toughest spills? Which fixie do you think is best for putting the bike to the most diverse uses?

2. How much does the Surly Steamroller complete weigh? And does weight really matter, given that it is supposedly designed to be amongst the best for diverse uses? What does it have that a lighter bike does not?


Note: just ignore the first 10 posts. Most do not answer these questions because they were not written in response to these exact questions.

1) Anywhere I need to go. Mostly street riding, occasional curb hops and some singletrack here and there (nothing super nuts/technical or anything). She faired, and continues to fair very well - beautifully handles anything I throw at her, and stands up to my abuse quite nicely. Aside from my crapper winter beaters, this is my first fixed gear bike really, so I've no comparable experience. I can't ride on beaches or sandy areas too well with 23s on... in fact, I can't at all - I walk it. I'm at around 2150 miles on it as of today and have loved every last yard.

I've never owned or ridden a Surly sorry, but I personally don't think weight is a massive factor. Most of my riding is commuting/transportation, so while it'd be nice to be as efficient as possible with weights, I have to get where I'm going anyway, so I'm going to just do it regardless. I'm not competing, and what I pack for lunch in my bag can impact my overall weight more than gram shaving on componentry.